ALL ROSES HAVE THORNS
by billabong100
Summary: Comrades returns, Threats are back, Powers need to be discovered and unleashed, Hearts need to re connect. Will Ringo be able to find her true self or will she fade away? Will Ikki finally acknowledge his own heart and is he up to being a King? Will new and old appearances break bonds and weaken heroes? Will darkness prevail or will freedom finally be obtained? Ikki and Ringo.
1. The Girl Next Door

**ALL ROSES HAVE THORNS**

_This is my first fanfic and I am really bad with summaries so pls read the story and review so I can improve. I am starting with Ringo X Ikki as a pair but it may change with the flow of the story._

_I do not own Air Gear or the characters; the OC'S are my creation however._

_Summary__: Comrades returns, Threats are back, Powers need to be discovered and unleashed, Hearts need to re connect. Will Ringo be able to find her true self or will she fade away. Will Ikki finally acknowledge his own heart and is he up to being a King. Will new and old appearances break bonds and weaken heroes. Will darkness prevail or will freedom finally be obtained._

CHAPTER 1

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

#### Ringo's Perspective

Ringo had been missing all summer. Doing up her own apartment was more work than she had anticipated. She had moved out of the Noyanamo house soon after the great battle at the Trophaeum Tower, citing she wanted independence, however getting her own apartment was only an excuse to find a reason to avoid socialization the whole break. Right after the battle Ikki had made a confession that had broken her heart and she needed something to invest her time, energy and misery into.

It was the fist day of school and Ringo was far from thrilled. Her alarm rang and she thrashed her hands above her head hoping to hit the clock and turn off the annoying noise. She just couldn't reach it and finally sat up on her mattress. She could hear the moving around of furniture from the apartment next to hers and wondered who her neighbor would be. She had strategically picked her apartment in an area where none of her friends would dwell thus she'd like the company of a new face. She looked around the room, saw all the boxes and thought to herself ' I should really start decorating my apartment; Emily and Yayoyi will want to come over. ' In reality Ringo hadn't done anything other than cry and mope this summer break. The little space in the corner of the shower cubicle had become her little niche, and that had become Ringo's home over the summer. Ringo walked into the bathroom and made very little effort to do herself up. She threw on a pair of skinny jeans, a simple T-shirt and pulled her hair into the usual two side ponytails. She looked in the mirror and thought ' I'll never be good enough I guess. ' She sighed, then splashed water on her face, shook it violently from side to side, looked in the mirror again and said out loudly

" Enough Ringo. You promised yourself you'd be Ikki's number one supporter, so from today you're going to go back to being your usual self. No more crying Ringo, its time to go to school and meet everyone, after all Ikki is family and you cant avoid him forever."

Her smile was clearly broken and the word family made her flinch. She looked in the mirror and practiced her fake smile once more, hoping it was good enough to fool Ikki, the thickheaded always picked up the things she tried her best to hide but never noticed what she made the most obvious. Giving out one last sigh Ringo left her apartment.

#### Ikki's Perspective

Ikki looked at his phone and wondered why the magenta haired girl hadn't called him back all summer. He had sent 24 emails, called 26 times and left 15 voice mails and not received a single reply. Ringo had not told anyone where she had moved to stating she only wanted visitors once she had finished the whole place and he was included in the same category as everyone else. This lack of response gave birth to many emotions inside him including anger as well as a sadness he hadn't known till now. He had always thought of himself as being closest to her but recently he learned that there were many things he hadn't been privy to and this exclusion made him angry, sad as well as confused all at the same time.

Ikki was excited about the first day of school. He was eager to confront Ringo about her behavior over the summer as well as looking forward to seeing her familiar face. Ikki wondered why she had taken the pain to avoid him all summer. According to Ikki he had done everything in his power to clear the mess he had made by tuning with her. He had after the battle explained everything to her in the hope of making things right and had told her everything from his point of view. Her reaction was also normal; she had given him that I understand smile but soon after cut all contact.

Over the break Ikki had taken Simca out the promised date, however he felt something was lacking. While he was physically attracted to her, their conversations were unable to hold his interest and his original fixation on her had disappeared. He wanted someone to talk to; someone to be himself with and Simca was a bad listener. Simca had left after the date to go see places and finally obtain her wings and she had told everyone that she had little intentions of returning and hoped to fall in love in some exotic place. Ikki had wished to inform Ringo about his moving on from Simca as he felt Simca had been a source of conflict amongst them. The though of never seeing Simca again, however, made Ikki a bit sad.

The name Kururu only brought pain to Ikki. Oh Kururu! He didn't know how to cope with her loss, they had grown so close and shared so much friendship and respect that he really didn't know how to deal with her not being around. To top of his female problems he had no girlfriend while Kazu had spent his summer in two ways, first by spending time with his girlfriend and second by rambling on about her and how great relationships were.

Ikki dressed his best for the first day of school and looked at the mirror while gelling his hair and said

" I am definitely going to get some ass this term"

He practiced his 'sexy' smirk a couple of times. He gave his phone one last glance and subconsciously thought ' she always calls me before school and we go together. Why hasn't she called me today? ' He let out a sight, then put his smirk right back on, took his bag and left for School.

#### Ringo Perspective

Ringo had walked out of the gate and was locking it when a deep male voice, she didn't recognize came from behind her

"Ringo Noyanamo?"

Ringo turned around to find a tall good-looking guy leaning against the wall next to her gate. The guy was a fair brunette, with gorgeous chocolate brown eyes and a perfect jaw structure. He had a toned, not to skinny not to muscular body, and the top two open buttons of his shirt added to his sex appeal. Ringo could've sworn the guy was either an actor or a model based on his stunning appearance and aura. She nodded her head in response to his question.

" You don't have the presence of a queen," the guy said taking a good look at her.

" Who are you?" Ringo questioned slightly offended by his comment. She knew that Crazy Apple was the more aggressive and queen like counterpart but she was also the Thorn Queen and didn't like being viewed as weak.

"I am Ren, Ren Matsumoto" He replied giving a dramatic pause before saying " Your new tuner."

Ringo was shocked. She wondered why she needed a tuner so soon, the Great War had just gotten over and she wasn't planning on annihilating or needing to be the Thorn Queen anytime soon. She just wanted a normal life where AT-ing was a leisure activity, something she did for fun. She wanted to finally be free and feel like a bird soaring the Sky.

"The Thorn Queen was below average in the Great War and we need her to be stronger for what is to come in the future" Ren said gravely looking at Ringo once more, he then proceeded to scoff at her

"I wonder why the Regalia chose such a weak little school girl as its wielder"

"How can you pass such judgment?" Ringo asked with indignation.

He looked at her and smiled "Your body is broken, your spirit is weak and you lack the courage to find your own run. Can you truthfully say your strong princess?" he said mockingly.

Ringo was angry. She didn't know weather she was angry with the stranger insulting her powers or if she was angry at the fact that the stranger had seen through her façade of strength and had exposed her for what she was: a weak and broken coward.

"Don't look so upset princess, I'll work you till you are no longer a shame to the Regalia system. Canon was a fool, and blinded by lust forgot his duties, but I shall not waver form my ultimate goal" Ren said giving Ringo a stern look of disapproval.

"You mentioned a threat" Ringo questioned, "For what exactly must I be ready"

"The nature of this threat has yet to reveal itself however at your current level you shall die within minutes of encountering it. Princess, if you hope to not be a burden and to protect those you love you must become something you never imagined yourself being" Ren replied with coldness in his voice.

Ren's cryptic words made no sense to Ringo. She acknowledged that she had been weak; that she needed to find power and that she needed to make herself use full but the fact that an unknown person citing an unknown enemy failed to be motivation but instead for her was another source of annoyance and frustration.

"I see the disbelief in your eyes, princess but it would be wise for you to heed my words" Ren said looking straight into Ringo's eyes without cutting contact for even a second. Ringo looked down at his feet and asked as firmly as possible "Why should I believe you?"

"The signs have began manifesting itself, use your eyes and you'll be able to discern the extraordinary from the ordinary." The man answered. His tone and approach was intimidating and made Ringo nervous. He looked over Ringo and then said, "I bid you farewell princess, our next meeting will be soon and I will make you a Queen." He then jumped up and disappeared over the building tops.

Ringo stood there angry and bewildered. The guy had a presence she couldn't ignore; it had made her weak in the knees. She didn't know how to react to his words or to him. She was in a daze when PINK HAIR caught her attention, there with a moving box in her hand a familiar pinkette stood outside the neighboring house. She looked at Ringo gave Ringo a friendly smile and let out a greeting. The girl, her voice, her words froze Ringo. How was she going to be emotionally stable when this pinkette was her neighbor? How could she focus on training when this pinkette live around the corner? This pinkette who wasn't even supposed to be here.

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_Thanks for reading and I hope the chapter wasn't too long. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. _

_Feel free to review and give constructive criticism, suggestions and let me know if you want me to continue. _

_Also let me know who you think the pinkette is ( I hope its not obvious )_


	2. Didn't We Say Goodbye?

**ALL ROSES HAVE THORNS **

_I finally finished chapter 2. YAY :D. I wrote this in a hurry since my exams are going on so be easy on it when judging it. I promise the next chapter will be better and uploaded soon._

CHAPTER 2:

DIDN'T WE SAY GOODBYE?

#### Ikki's Perspective

Ikki stared out of the classroom window and wondered where Ringo was. She was never late from school and skipping school wasn't her style. He was disappointed, as he had looked forward to finally seeing her again. He let out a sigh. Kazu and Emily pulled out chairs and sat facing Ikki studying his face carefully.

" Ikki do you know where Ringo is staying" asked Emily " I really badly wanted to drop in and help her decorate."

Ikki shook his head, if he had known he would've gone and met her himself.

" Dude isn't it odd she didn't tell you, like aren't you the closest to her?" Kazu asked.

"That's what I had thought too," Ikki muttered to himself in an inaudible sober tone. Ikki just couldn't wrap his finger around why Ringo had been MIA the whole summer. The thought that he might have unknowingly caused her to pull away from him gnawed at his mind, like an acid, eroding away all other thoughts. His homeroom teacher walked in and commenced a class but all Ikki could think about was Ringo. He didn't realize when one class finished and another one started, he didn't care, all he longed for was to see the magenta haired girl walk through the class door and scold him in her usual chiding manner. Time passed by quickly and then the lunch bell rang.

Ikki and his gang were in the middle of lunch when Yayoyi came bursting through the roof door. The group started at the breathless girl and recognized her eager smile, they all knew they'd be treated to some exclusive gossip, once the flustered girl had caught her breath.

Yayoyi straightened her skirt and then took a deep breath and started

"Ringo has a boyfriend"

The entire group fell silent. Ikki's body filled up with this incredible heat he hadn't felt before. Another guy in Ringo's life was something he couldn't fathom. Was this guy the reason she had not contacted him all summer, had another guy suddenly become closer and more important to Ringo? Ikki was angry that he could be so easily replaced, did the years of friendship he and Ringo had shared amount to a bond so weak that a summer fling could break!?

"Yayoyi I think Ringo would have told us or atleast told Ikki if she was seeing someone" said Emily who too felt hurt that her best friend had kept something from her.

"Guys don't over react, what proof does Yayoyi have to support her assumption" said Kazu trying to ensure that there weren't too many erupting emotions. Yayoyi smiled she had already anticipated this question and pulled out a phone and showed the group a picture of Ringo leaving an apartment and a mysterious handsome guy waiting for her outside the gate. Ikki was flabbergasted. He didn't recognize the guy but felt strong negative emotions towards him, in some sense Ikki felt bitter that Ringo had replaced him so easily and in another sense he felt jealous that this stranger had spent his summer with Ringo.

"I took a different route to school today since my older sisters in town and on the way there I saw this. But I didn't have time to figure out weather that's Ringo's apartment or if that's the hot guys place." Said Yayoyi smiling proudly at her snooping skills.

"I can't believe she'd tell a random guy her address and not tell us and she isn't bold enough to stay at his place" said Emily inspecting the man in the picture "but I forgive her since the guys hot" said Emily smiling.

Forgive her. How could Ikki ever forgive her for choosing another guy as closest to her? She had told this stranger information he wasn't privy to, spent time with this stranger, time that she usually spent with him. This alone was enough to make Ikki angry, very angry.

#### Ringo's Perspective

Ringo stood there wondering what her first move should be. How was she to approach a friend who they all believed to be dead? She studied the pinkette who was moving boxes chirpily with a childish hop to her step and thought " Kururu sure hasn't lost her innocence." Ringo knew she should have been happy, she knew how these reunions were supposed to go, she knew there were meant to be tears and other manifestations of sudden emotions. Ringo had tears in her eyes alright, but they weren't ones of joy. Many questions ran through her mind, why and more importantly how was Kururu back? How was she going to live with Ikki and Kururu's closeness, after what Ikki had explained to her? Ringo's mind filled with jealousy, bitterness and sorrow. Ringo had regarded Kururu's respect speech as beautiful and at the same time Ringo had hated it for Kururu evoked an emotion in Ikki she never had. Ringo was glad to see Kururu alive but at the same time there was this bitterness swelling inside of her, she just wanted to walk up to the pinkette and yell ' Why have come back, go back to wherever you were'. Kururu finally finished with the boxes and made her way towards Ringo with a huge smile plastered across her face. The girls happiness and sheer ability to outshine Ringo without any effort made Ringo sick.

" Ringo I missed you a lot" The girl said hugging Ringo.

Ringo hugged her back but at the same time wanted the girl to disappear. Ringo hated herself for being such a coward, for always being weak, for always hiding her emotions under a veil of pretense.

"You too Kururu" Ringo replied, her voice almost devoid of any emotion.

The girls spent some time making idle small talk. Ringo really wanted to know how Kururu was alive, for the last time she had seen Kururu, Kururu had been merged together with the ship, but she couldn't get herself to ask the question directly.

"Ringo why are you here?" Kururu finally asked.

"Actually I've moved into this apartment" Ringo replied pointing towards her house. Kururu looked a little confused and Ringo noticing the confusion quickly added, "I wanted to be more independent and as a teenager wanted more privacy so I thought I'd move here"

"Oh!" Kururu let out "I thought you were here to avoid someone" She completed chuckling a little at the statement. Ringo tried to laugh at the statement, at its silliness but she knew that had been the truth.

"So Kururu what took you so long to come back" Asked Ringo wanting to change the topic and no longer being able to hold back her curiosity.

At first Kururu seemed slightly disturbed by the question, something that made Ringo suspicious but she let it go. Kururu started fidgeting a little but Ringo intensely stared at Kururu wishing to take out every detail from her.

Kururu suddenly looked at her watch "Ringo you're late for school! " She exclaimed in surprise.

Ringo was now certain Kururu was avoiding the question but she had to let the topic drop for now, as she didn't want to create problems. She pretended to be shocked and then got up, bid Kururu goodbye and ran off towards school.

#### Ikki's Perspective

He wanted to punch something, or rather someone. His eyes finally caught sight of the girl he had been looking for since morning. He tried to calm himself; he didn't want their first encounter after months to turn into a confrontation. He watched Ringo sluggishly walk into class; she didn't have her usual aura. He looked at her and couldn't stop wondering if her 'boyfriend' was the reason for her change in attitude and if he had been with her this morning. These thoughts drove him insane. Ringo looked at Ikki and gave him a broken smile and then quickly disconnected any eye contact and went on to greet the others.

"Where have you been all summer?" Yayoyi asked almost complainingly

"Ummm…. I was busy" Ringo started and Emily finished for her "Setting up your apartment. Right?" Ringo smiled weakly, she hadn't wanted to enter a conversation about her apartment yet, she hadn't had time to think up an excuse for not taking them there and who could blame her, this morning had itself been more eventful than her whole summer.

"When are you taking us there?" Yayoyi asked, though it more of a push than a question. Everyone, especially Ikki was eager to find out where Ringo lived. Ikki had noticed Ringo's discomfort at the question and that agitated him even more. Why was there something about her he didn't know?

"The paints still in its drying stage so its not safe to take you guys there yet" said Ringo "I wouldn't want any of you dying due to poisonous intake" She tried to joke but Ikki saw straight through her lies.

"Then you shouldn't be living there either" Ikki said rudely.

She gave a couple of chuckles and then replies "My immune systems great"

"Stop lying" Ikki yelled and the whole class looked at him. He realized he was letting his anger take control and then immediately added a history of how Ringo had got pneumonia when she was young to counter Ringo's argument and hide his frustration.

"You don't have to lie Ringo we know about your hot boyfriend" Yayoyi teased

Ikki clenched his fists; the topic was not suited to his tastes.

Ringo completely shocked and disoriented couldn't say anything.

"I cant believe you didn't tell us" said Emily

"I cant believe you didn't tell Ikki" Kazu added, before Emily and Kazu gave each other a 'we are the perfect two' smile. Ikki clenched his fists even harder. He hated being reminded of how far he and Ringo had drifted, of how he was no longer the closest to her.

"I don't know what or who your talking about" Ringo said finally realizing that she was being accused of something she hadn't done.

"How can you lie to our faces" Ikki hissed, his anger now at its peak. Ringo was paralyzed, she couldn't move or speak.

"Is this guy more important to you than your friends" Ikki said accusingly. He then suddenly smiled and taunted "That's how you are I guess, running of to seek comfort in anyone"

Ikki hated himself right now. He didn't want to say what he was saying but he had no control over his anger, bitterness and most of all hurt. He knew he wasn't making things better between him and Ringo and he knew he was going to regret this later, but he couldn't bear to be lied to anymore. He saw the pain on Ringo's face. Part of him was devastated and wanted to immediately hug her and console her but another part wanted to see more pain inflicted on her as in that parts view she deserved to suffer as she had hurt him.

"I don't have a boyfriend" Ringo yelled her voice full of pain "But if I did he would definitely be better than having you as the person closest to me."

A tear rolled down her eye. The others looked at Ikki accusingly, he knew he should apologize cause if he didn't he would truly lose Ringo this time. His body was just not listening to him. He impulsively hugged her burying her head in his chest and wrapping his arms around her tightly, cherishing her warmth, her presence.

"I'm sorry" he whispered "I lost my cool cause I thought you had met this random jerk instead of me all summer" He said hoping that would justify his behavior. Ringo moved back and looked at him. Her gaze made him conscious and he blushed slightly

"I missed you and this is not how I wanted to meet you after so long" he explained and then paused before continuing "Lets go back to how we were before the war, before Genesis and Sleeping Forest. Lets go back to when we would ride together in the sky, like birds who'd just gotten their freedom"

He was hoping Ringo would smile and then things would go back to normal, but Ringo's reaction shocked everyone

"How can you go back? How can you pretend nothing happened? How can you assume I'm the same Ringo from back then? Ikki I will always be the leader of sleeping forest and you will always be the leader of Genesis, don't you get that? I cant stop being the Thorn Queen and you cant stop being the Sky King. That past will never return, we cant go back to being those people but we can shape our future so lets not wish the past back, lets look forward to the future."

Ikki knew she was right but the unknown and the raw emotion in Ringo's voice didn't give him too much confidence.

"No matter what Ringo you will always be the one closest to me" Ikki muttered, almost to reassure himself of that fact.

"Even if Kururu's back" Ringo let slip in a pang of bitterness.

Ikki couldn't believe his ears, all his emotions which were seconds ago ruled by Ringo suddenly changed focus to Kururu. The name was enough to distract him from all other thoughts. He looked at Ringo with demanding eyes wanting to know every detail about her previous statement.

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_Thanks for reading and please review so that I can improve my writing and make the next chapters more exciting._

_Let me know if you find the pace to slow or you find the plot predictable and boring cause then I'll work on them._

_Also who do you prefer as a girl for Ikki - Ringo, Kururu, Simca or OC? _


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